Montclair State University is the nation's first institution to implement a revolutionary new mobile phone program that enables students to step well beyond traditional cell phone services such as voice, IM and text messaging. Montclair State's Campus Connect allows students to customize their mobile phones for 24/7 access to all the information and resources needed to manage their academic, community and social lives on campus. Campus Connect is enabled by Rave Wireless Inc. (www.ravewireless.com).

"Students today desire technology that easily and quickly connects them with their professors, friends, campus news, information and events, classroom assignments, transportation tracking, music, local events, and so much more," said President Susan A. Cole. "Rave Wireless took the preferred communications device of the youth market and, working within the university, transformed it into an educational and community building tool that will enable Montclair State to take a huge leap forward in preparing our students for productive roles in a technology-based society."

Rave provides a fast and easy way to personalize, create and share timely traditional online media, user- and community-generated content, and location-based information on mobile phones. For example, Rave delivers a powerful instructional tool, connecting the individual student to online instruction systems, to class peers and to faculty.  In addition to academic connections, Rave enables students to bring together and share information that is important to them--from the latest updates from faculty, to club events--right on their mobile phones. The service currently offers more than 300 channels allowing users to:

• receive real-time alerts and information from the University;

• track the actual location of campus shuttle buses;

• check class assignments and study hall availability;

• identify popular events and happenings with friends;

• enjoy and create entertaining personal mobile blogs;

• coordinate group activities and trips;

• access health- and safety-related information and resources from the University; and

• learn about daily specials from campus proprietors, local shops and restaurants.

"I've been using Rave at least once a day since I got it earlier this month, and rely on it to make choices about my day, both academically and socially," said freshman Travis Misurell.  "It's cool that Montclair State made Rave available to us, it makes my mobile phone more useful than ever before." 

"Today's youth are leading a mobile lifestyle that will become commonplace," said Rodger Desai, CEO, Rave Wireless. "In developing our service, we conducted extensive studies and spent almost a year on a pilot program to ensure we understood what content and tools were needed to really improve the usefulness of mobile phones in students' daily lives. Based on the usage and success of the program at Montclair State, we've exceeded our goal."

Within the first two weeks of availability at MSU, usage of Rave has outpaced wireless industry averages for mobile internet usage among today's youth by 400%. Students are already making Rave a part of their daily lives, accessing the service on average 10 times per week.

"Montclair State is intensely interested in how we can use technology to enhance the learning experience for our students. For as far and fast as we've come in offering highly customized mobile wireless connections to all the people and resources that are central to our students' campus life experience, we've only just begun," added Cole.  "We are at the forefront of understanding how today's students learn and connect, and partnering with a market-leading innovator such as Rave Wireless ensures delivery of the best technology-based education tools and services to our students."